Smartphones these days rule the roost when it comes to photography. So much so that many have spelled doom and gloom for traditional cameras. However, he is not deterred Canon And it is still standing strong. In fact, manabu yamazakiChairman and Chief Executive Officer, Canon IndiaWelcomes the ‘competition’ that the smartphone brings.
In an exclusive chat with The Times of India, Yamazaki says that the culture of photography has grown as almost everyone has a camera in their pocket. “From our point of view, we see this as a welcome step,” he says. He admits there has been an impact, but has seen an increase in sales of some products. “The mid to high range of our cameras has seen an increase in sales,” he says. And it’s not just about photography, says Yamazaki, but videography, which has seen huge leaps. According to Yamazaki, the industry has seen a change, but he believes that as people get used to clicking photos or shooting more videos, it has worked in favor of Canon.
Another trend that has emerged is smartphone makers tying up with lens makers like Leica, Carl Zeiss. Yamazaki says it’s not on Canon’s agenda as of now.
Kazutada KobayashiPresident & COO, Canon Marketing Asia, believes that “India is probably the most important I would say in Asia and probably in the world.” He believes the sheer number of people in the country is a factor. “Outside the metropolitan areas, disposable income in India is also growing quite rapidly, which augurs well,” he added. This is something Yamazaki agrees with. “India is different from any other market and is important to us,” he says.
Demand has stabilized post Covid
The second pillar of Canon’s business in India is its printing division. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Yamazaki says demand for home printers “exploded,” while office printers fell markedly. “Now demand has stabilized but equipment interest has grown in terms of how the printer can help them,” he says.
The last three years have been challenging for all companies and Canon is no different. The company has launched its live office in Mumbai. “Live Office will showcase our entire portfolio of products and services as well as empower both customers and partners. We look forward to forging a foothold in this new direction and channelizing how we can continue to deliver and delight in the best possible way.”
Sustainability has become more than a buzzword for companies around the world. Yamazaki says that Canon is focusing on building products that consume less energy. Furthermore, Canon is making printers that ensure less paper is used. For example, there are printers – in offices – that will require an ID to print anything rather than people giving out random printouts.
In an exclusive chat with The Times of India, Yamazaki says that the culture of photography has grown as almost everyone has a camera in their pocket. “From our point of view, we see this as a welcome step,” he says. He admits there has been an impact, but has seen an increase in sales of some products. “The mid to high range of our cameras has seen an increase in sales,” he says. And it’s not just about photography, says Yamazaki, but videography, which has seen huge leaps. According to Yamazaki, the industry has seen a change, but he believes that as people get used to clicking photos or shooting more videos, it has worked in favor of Canon.
Another trend that has emerged is smartphone makers tying up with lens makers like Leica, Carl Zeiss. Yamazaki says it’s not on Canon’s agenda as of now.
Kazutada KobayashiPresident & COO, Canon Marketing Asia, believes that “India is probably the most important I would say in Asia and probably in the world.” He believes the sheer number of people in the country is a factor. “Outside the metropolitan areas, disposable income in India is also growing quite rapidly, which augurs well,” he added. This is something Yamazaki agrees with. “India is different from any other market and is important to us,” he says.
Demand has stabilized post Covid
The second pillar of Canon’s business in India is its printing division. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Yamazaki says demand for home printers “exploded,” while office printers fell markedly. “Now demand has stabilized but equipment interest has grown in terms of how the printer can help them,” he says.
The last three years have been challenging for all companies and Canon is no different. The company has launched its live office in Mumbai. “Live Office will showcase our entire portfolio of products and services as well as empower both customers and partners. We look forward to forging a foothold in this new direction and channelizing how we can continue to deliver and delight in the best possible way.”
Sustainability has become more than a buzzword for companies around the world. Yamazaki says that Canon is focusing on building products that consume less energy. Furthermore, Canon is making printers that ensure less paper is used. For example, there are printers – in offices – that will require an ID to print anything rather than people giving out random printouts.